Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron Vs Sherwin Williams Iron Ore
Choosing the right paint color for your home can be challenging. One fact people often consider is how dark colors like Benjamin Moore’s Wrought Iron and Sherwin Williams’ Iron Ore look in their space.
Our article will guide you through these two popular choices, focusing on aspects such as color tones, where they fit best in your home, and pairing options with other colors.
Keep reading to find your perfect shade.
What Is Sherwin Williams Iron Ore?
Sherwin-Williams Iron Ore (SW 7069) is a dark, near-black charcoal with an LRV of 6. At LRV 6, it absorbs roughly 94% of the light that hits it, which is why it reads as almost black in most conditions rather than as a gray. It’s not a true black, Sherwin-Williams Tricorn Black at LRV 3 is significantly darker and more saturated, but Iron Ore sits dark enough that the distinction rarely matters in practice.
Iron Ore’s undertone is where it becomes interesting. The primary undertone is green, a quality that becomes most visible on exterior surfaces and on cabinets painted in a satin finish where the sheen catches the light at an angle. Indoors, in rooms with warm artificial lighting, Iron Ore can shift toward a warm charcoal or even pick up a slight brown. In cooler natural light, particularly north-facing rooms, it reads closer to a blue-gray. That shift is part of why Iron Ore appears on so many “best black paint” lists, it’s dark enough to read as black most of the time, but not so flat and toneless that it looks painted-by-algorithm.
Best uses for Sherwin Williams Iron Ore:
- Exterior siding and trim (where the green undertone reads natural and grounded)
- Kitchen cabinets and islands (popular choice, satin finish shows the undertone)
- Accent walls and built-ins
- Front doors (pairs well with both warm and cool white trim)
- Exterior shutters
What pairs well with Sherwin Williams Iron Ore:
- Sherwin Williams Pure White or Alabaster for trim (warmer contrast)
- Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray, Repose Gray for adjacent walls
- Natural wood tones, brass and matte black hardware
What Is Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron?
Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron (2124-10) is BM’s answer to the same design need Iron Ore fills: a near-black with enough character to feel considered rather than default. Its LRV is 6.16 on Benjamin Moore’s scale, making it marginally lighter than Iron Ore on paper, though the difference is essentially undetectable side-by-side.
Where Wrought Iron separates itself is in its undertone. Wrought Iron has a clear blue-violet base that makes it read cooler and more definitively “charcoal” than Iron Ore. In modern and contemporary spaces with cool white trim, gray flooring, and steel or chrome hardware, Wrought Iron’s cooler character works in its favor. It doesn’t carry the same green shift risk that Iron Ore has on south-facing exteriors or satin-finish cabinets.
Best uses for Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron:
- Kitchen cabinets in modern or contemporary kitchens (the cooler tone plays well with white quartz and stainless)
- Exterior trim on homes with cooler stone or brick tones
- Interior accent walls where a cooler charcoal suits the palette
- Front doors with crisp white or cool gray trim
What pairs well with Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron:
- Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace or Cloud White for trim (cooler, crisper contrast)
- Cool gray flooring, marble counters, stainless or chrome hardware
- Decorative plaster finishes that benefit from a cool anchor color
Comparing Sherwin Williams Iron Ore and Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron
Color Review
Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron and Sherwin Williams Iron Ore are both popular for their soft black paint color. They offer a touch darker than pure black, making spaces feel cozy without being too overwhelming.
Benjamin Moore’s version has slightly blue undertones, while Sherwin Williams’ leans towards a warm charcoal with subtle green hints. These differences make each unique in how they interact with natural light and artificial lighting.
Choosing between them depends on the desired mood and lighting in your room. Next, let’s explore the LRV and undertones of these two stunning colors.
LRV and Undertones
Understanding the Light Reflectance Value (LRV) and undertones of paint colors is crucial for making the right choice for your home.
The LRV measures the percentage of light a paint color reflects, while undertones are subtle hues that can influence a color’s overall appearance.
Here’s a concise comparison between Sherwin Williams Iron Ore and Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron.
| Factor | SW Iron Ore (SW 7069) | BM Wrought Iron (2124-10) |
|---|---|---|
| LRV | 6 | 6.16 |
| Primary Undertone | Green (warm) | Blue-violet (cool) |
| Reads As | Near-black, warm charcoal | True charcoal, cooler gray |
| On Cabinets (satin) | Slightly green in direct light | Cool charcoal, consistent |
| On Exteriors | Can shift green in sun | More consistent cool-dark |
| Pairs With | Warm whites, brass, wood | Cool whites, chrome, marble |
| True Black? | No (LRV 6) | No (LRV 6.16) |
| Closest True Black | SW Tricorn Black (LRV 3) | BM Black Beauty (LRV ~5) |
Sherwin Williams Iron Ore and Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron both have low LRVs, indicating they absorb more light than they reflect. This makes them ideal for creating dramatic and cozy spaces.
Iron Ore has a hint of brown, warming it up slightly, while Wrought Iron leans towards a cooler palette due to its blue undertones. These characteristics affect how they’re perceived in different lighting conditions and when paired with other colors.
Exterior and Interior Use
Moving from understanding the LRV and undertones of Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron vs Sherwin Williams Iron Ore, let’s explore how each can transform the exterior and interior spaces of your home.
Exterior Use:
- Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron creates a stunning front door that stands out. This color makes your entrance feel welcoming yet bold.
- Sherwin Williams Iron Ore works beautifully on exterior trim. It pairs well with lighter siding for a striking contrast.
- Siding painted with BM Wrought Iron adds a modern touch to any home exterior. Its deep hue contrasts nicely against natural surroundings.
- SW Iron Ore on shutters brings an elegant, understated charm to your house’s facade, complementing both traditional and contemporary designs.
- Garage doors in either color look sophisticated and hide dirt well, perfect for maintaining curb appeal.
Interior Use:
- Accent walls in living rooms or bedrooms gain depth with Sherwin Williams Iron Ore, creating a focal point without overpowering the space.
- Benjamin Moore Wrought Iron on kitchen cabinets offers a chic alternative to standard wood or white finishes, giving the heart of the home a fresh update.
- SW Iron Ore makes for dramatic interior doors that catch the eye while maintaining a seamless flow throughout the home.
- Using BM Wrought Iron on bookshelves or built - ins highlights these features as design elements in their own right, rather than mere storage solutions.
- Both colors work well in semi - gloss for railing and banisters, providing durability and easy maintenance along with visual interest.
Which Color is Right for You?
Best White Trim Colors To Pair With Iron Ore
- Pure White: A crisp, clean white that provides a sharp contrast, enhancing the depth of Iron Ore.
- Extra White: Bright and pure, this white trim beautifully complements the richness of Iron Ore.
- Alabaster: A softer white that creates a subtle yet sophisticated look when paired with Iron Ore.
- Snowbound: This off-white hue offers a warm and welcoming feel next to Iron Ore.
Exterior Color Options
- Iron Ore: A deep color with green undertones, suitable for a warm and welcoming look.
- Tricorn Black: Ideal for a classic and timeless appearance, perfect for front doors or accents.
- Urbane Bronze: A versatile shade that complements Iron Ore and adds depth to your home's exterior.
- Off Whites: Pairing Iron Ore with warmer whites creates an inviting contrast on the trim and complements the main color.
Alternatives to Iron Ore
Looking for alternatives to Iron Ore and Wrought Iron? Consider Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black or Dark Charcoal as great substitutes. These colors offer a similar dark, rich tone that works well for exterior and interior painting use.
You can also explore True Black, Benjamin Moore’s deepest shade, or a classic Dark Gray for a timeless look that complements various design styles.
There are numerous options available that can achieve the same sophisticated feel as Iron Ore without compromising on elegance and depth in your color scheme.
Ready to pick the perfect alternative? Let’s move on to discovering the best white trim colors to pair with Iron Ore!
From Our Experience in Fairfax Homes
We’ve applied both Iron Ore and Wrought Iron on projects across Fairfax and Northern Virginia, and a few practical observations are worth sharing.
Iron Ore on Northern Virginia exteriors is a strong performer. The color holds well in our region’s variable light, and the green undertone that shows up indoors tends to read as a natural, grounded tone on exterior siding rather than as an unwanted color shift. In the summer, when vegetation is full around the home, Iron Ore’s warm-green base integrates particularly well with the surrounding landscape.
For interior cabinet work, we’ve had better consistency with Wrought Iron in most of the modern and transitional kitchens we work in. The cooler undertone behaves more predictably under the recessed and under-cabinet lighting configurations common in Fairfax-area renovations, and it pairs cleanly with the quartz countertops and crisp white upper cabinets that come up most often in kitchen remodels in this area.
In both cases, we recommend sampling before committing. Paint a full 12×12 inch sample directly on the surface you’re painting, not on white paper, and view it at different times of day before ordering the full project quantity. Two colors that look nearly identical in a paint store can read differently once they’re on your walls or cabinets in your specific lighting conditions.
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